Clamp for holding knives



Sept. 21 1926. 1,600,266

F. ARMSTRONG CLAMP FOR HOLDING KNIVES Filed April 1', 1925 sept. 21 1926. 1,600,266

. F. ARMSTRONG CLAMP FOR HOLDING KNIVES Eled April l 1925 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ,Rn QS f//e/rfar I #Mlfw Patented Sept. 21, 1926.

UNITED STATES;

FREDERICK ARMSTRONG, OF SOUTHBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS.

CLAMP :FORy HOLDING KNIVES.

Application led April 1,

This invention relates to a clamp for holding lmives or other similar articles during hardening, tempering or other. operations thereon. In carrying out such operations, it is desirable to hold a plurality of knives in definite spaced relation and it is essential that the knives may be assembled, clamped and released with a minimum expenditure of time and'labor. f

It isl the general object of my invention to provide an improved'clamp for such purposes in which a plurality of knives may be quickly inserted and clamped and as easily removed. Y

A further object of my invention is to provide a clamp which maybe easily and quick-V ly adapted to different shapes, sizes and hicknesses ot knives and in which the clamping blocks are readily removable and replaceable.

My invention further relates to larrangements and combinations of parts which will be hereinafter described and more particularlypointed out in the appended claims.

Three forms of the invention are shown 'in the drawings in which Fig. 1 isa side elevation of my improved knife holding clamp;

Fig. 2 is-a longitudinal side elevation of the clamp; i Y

Fig. 3 is a partial side elevation, similar to Fig. 2 but showing the parts in a diii'erent position; v

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the clamping blocks and their support;

Fig. 5 Vis a plan view of my improved clamp, looking in the directionl of the arrow 5 inrFig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional elevation,

taken along the line 6-6 'in Fig. l;

Fig. 7 'is a side elevation of a slightly different form of' my invention;

Fig. 8.is a. transverse section, taken along the line 8-8 in Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a side elevation of a. construction shown in Fig. 7 but using a diiferent type ot 'clamping block, and

Fig. 10 is a transverse sectional elevation, taken along the line 10V-+10 in Fig. 9.

Referring articularly to Figs. 1 to "5, my improved nite holding clamp comprises 1925. Serial No. 19,993.

a trame 2O having a fixed abutment 21 at one V.end thereof. The :trame is also provided with a slot 22'which is open from top to bottom of the frame and which extends from the abutment 21 to the opposite'end of 'the trame, the extremeright hand lower portion 23, as viewed in Fig. 2, being preferably of slightly reduced; width. The Sides ofthe frame may be tied together below the slot 22 by cross members 24 and 25 (Fig. 2). A downwardly inclinedl handle Y26 extends lengthwise from the trame or from its cross memberv 25. Y A plurality of spacing blocksv 27'` are slidable in the slot 22 and are mounted upon a block supportwhich comprises a head 28 and a longitudinally extended rod 29. The rod 29 extends through openings vin the blocks 27 and also through an opening 30- in the abutment 21. The head 28 of the supportl is slidable in the slot 22 and is preterably provided with a cross pin 31 vwhich is also slidable in a horizontally disposed longitudinal slot 32 Fig. 1) inthe frame 20.

The. outer portion of the head 28 is slotted as indicated at 33 (Fig. 4) to receive an upwardly projecting arm 35 (Fig. 2) of an actuating'lever 36 pivoted at 37 lin the lower portion ot the slot 23. The lever 36 alsol has a handle 87 `adapted to cooperate with the handle 26 in clamping the knives. i The arm 35 of thevlever 36 has a surface 38 (Fig. 2) adapted to engage theouterftace of an abutment 39 on the head 280i lthe slid-` ing block support. An inclined surface 40 on the arm 35also cooperates with a cross pin 41 in the support to withdraw the support as the handles 26 and 37a are separated.

When it is desired to remove the clamping blocks and support from the frame 20, the lever 36 is swung` downward to theposition indicated in Fig. 3', permitting the clamping blocks andtheirlsupport to be re moved endwise as ay unit from the frame 20. This permits a change in the number of blocks when a change Vin the thickness of knife stock'is made or vwhen for any reason a different type ot block is desired.` l.

In the use of the device, it is merely necessaryto insert the Vbutts of the knives K be- 'tween thev blocks 27,

seating theknives upon the upper surface of the frame 2O and then clamping them in position by grasping the handles 26 and 37a and moving them toward each other, thus applying pressure to move the abutments 2l and 39 toward each other. A considerable number of knives can thus be handled at asingle operation, after which they are released by separating the handles.

In Figs. 7 and 8, I have indicated .a construction in which the abutment 50 extends below the trame 5l and the rod V,52 gis also positioned below the trame. This construction is desirable for holding knives AK which have a narrow shank which can 4be inserted between the sides of the frame 51, engaging the Irod 52 at their lower ends. Otherwise the construction and operation is identical with the type iirst described.

In Figs. 9 and l0, I have'shown a construction similarto VF ig. 7 but provided with a special type of block 60. These blocks extend rvalsubstantial `distance above and below the trame 6l and are cut away in their in-A termediate portions as indicated at 62. The blocks 60 are preferably arranged in vpairs as indicated in Fig. 9 and the members of l each pair `engage each other at their extreme ofthe blocks 60. This construction is desirable when treating certain forms of knife blades which lrequire hardening and tempering .over substantially their entire surface. lith this construction it is possible to apply heat to theentire blade and'also t0 the upper ends of the blocks without injuryto other parts ot the. clamp.

y Having thus described my invention and certain modifications thereof, I do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed otherwise than as set forth in the claims, but what I claim is l l. A clamp for holding knives comprising a frame having an abutment at lone end and a handle extending from the other end, a clamping lever pivoted to said frame, and a plurality of clamping blocks slidably nounted between said abutment and said ever. l

2. A clamp for holding knives, vcomprising ,arame, a plurality of clamping blocks movably mounted in said frame to grip and hold Aa plurality of knives in spaced relation, a support for said blocks slidably mounted in said frame and removable with Asaid blocks as a'unit from said iframe, and an' actuating member pivoted in said frame and detachably engaging said support to move said support both to and from clamping position.

3. A clamp for holding knives comprising a frame, a plurality of clampingrblocks movably mounted in said frame to grip and hold a plurality of knives in spaced relation, a support for said blocks slidably mounted in said frame and removable with said blocks asa unit from said trame, and an actuating member pivoted in said trame and detachably engaging said support to move said support both to and from clamping position, and .movable to an extreme position out of engagement with saidY support, thereby permitting vremoval of said support and blocks from said frame.'i l

4. A clamp for holding knives comprising a trame having an end abutmentV and va i,

longitudinally extended slot open at the end remote from said abutment, a support having a head slidable in said slot and having a rod slidable through an opening in said abutment, a plurality of clamping blocks slidably mounted on said rod in said trame, and an actuatingmember eii'ective to slide said support toward said frame abutment to clamp a plurality of knives `'in spaced relation between said blocks.v

5. A clamp for' holding knives, comprising a frame having an end abutment and the longitudinally extending slot open at the endremote from said abutment,"a support having a head slidable insaidslot and having a rod slidable through anopening in said abutment, a plurality of clamping blocks slidably mounted on said rod in said frame, the vhead of said support being slotted, and an actuating member pivoted in said slot effective to slide said support toward said frame vabutment to clamp a plurality of knives in spaced vrelation between said blocks, said :actuating member having an arm extending freely into the slot in `said head and loosely engaging said head at` oppositesides of said'arms for moving .said support in both directions, and inwhich said actuating member is also movable in said frame to a position entirely free from said head, thereby permitting removal of said support and blocks Vas a unit from said frame.

6. A clamp for holding knives comprising a frame, a support slidably` mounted therein, a plurality of knife holding blocks loosely mounted on vsaid support, and a lever pivoted to said frame Vbelow said support and having an upwardly' projecting'arm llO engaged byv said support on both sides of said arm, said arm having a cam action on said support to move said support to clamp-l ing andreleasing position.

7. A clamp for holding knives, comprising a frame, a support slidably4 mounted therein, a plurality of knife holding blocks loosely mounted on said support, and a lever pivoted to said frame below said support said support and permit removal of said and having an upwardly projecting arm ensupport and blocks as a unit from said gaged by said support on both sides of said frame. 10 arm, said arm having a cam action on said In testimony whereof I have hereunto af- 5 support to move said support to clamping fixed my signature.A

and releasing position and said lever being also movable to withdraw said arm from FREDERICK ARMSTRONG. 

